Teenage taekwondo star Lauren Williams underlined her status as one of the hottest prospects in Wales with victory at the Polish Open in Warsaw.
Lauren, 17, from Blackwood, became European champion earlier this year, and stunned Russian fighter Ekaterina Derbeneva 12-0 in the final of the 67kg weight division on Sunday September 18 to take home the gold medal.
On route to the final, Lauren brushed aside Russia’s Anastasiia Gurskaia 6-5 in the first round, Finland’s Jenna Partanan, 16-3 in the second, and Ashley Kraayeveld of Canada, 24-3 in the semi-final.
Having understudied Rio Olympic bronze medallist Bianca Walkden, Lauren has enjoyed an incredibly successful first year in the sport.
She said: “I’m proud I managed to put together four strong performances, some of which were the best I’ve had for a long time.”
Despite missing out on this year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Lauren has her eyes firmly set on Tokyo in 2020.